A 21-year-old man, Amri Green, is accused of fatally shooting a 7-month-old girl in Brooklyn while aiming for her father. According to court papers, Green admitted to targeting Jamari Patterson during a botched traffic stop last week, firing from his scooter in East Williamsburg.
The baby, Kaori Patterson-Moore, had just begun to say “mama” when her father picked her up near Humboldt and Moore streets. Despite rushing her to Woodhull Hospital, she could not be saved.
During Green’s arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court, Assistant District Attorney Jordan Rothman stated that, while Green missed his intended target, he tragically shot the infant in the head and also injured her 2-year-old brother who was in a double stroller. Police confirmed that the bullet that killed Kaori passed through her head and grazed her brother.
After the shooting, Green, fleeing the scene with suspected getaway driver Matthew Rodriguez, crashed his moped into another vehicle. He sustained a broken leg and was arrested while receiving treatment at the hospital. Rodriguez is expected to be apprehended soon in Pennsylvania and extradited back to New York.
Authorities suspect the shooting might be linked to gang conflicts between rival housing projects. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenney mentioned that Patterson might have connections to a gang operation known as Money Over Everything (MOE) in Bushwick.
However, Kaori’s mother, Leanna Moore, has denied that her fiancé was the intended target, stating, “It wasn’t like that. Everyone keeps saying he came out to target my fiancée, but he had nothing to do with it.”
Patterson expressed his deep grief over losing his daughter, stating in a letter shared during a vigil, “I miss her so much. I want my baby back.” He mentioned trying to change his life for his family through music and seeking positive paths, including a new job.
Green is currently being held without bail facing charges of murder, attempted murder, and assault. He is scheduled to return to court on Tuesday.
